Schubert: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra

I recently received an email from an old friend, pianist Andy Rangell, that included a link to the video of Schubert’s 5th Symphony presented below. In his email, Andy referred to this performance as “the MOST vibrant performance of this perfect symphony,” and after listening to it, I shared his enthusiasm. I wrote back to ask if he would consider writing an introduction to this piece for me to use here, and to my great delight, he agreed.

Here, then, is Schubert’s Symphony No. 5, as performed by The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, with notes by Andy Rangell.

<><><><><><><><>

Franz Schubert by Joseph Kupelwieser

On an overcast morning, looking for something uplifting and refreshing to go with my coffee, I decided to listen to a cherished favorite, Schubert’s B-flat Symphony (No. 5). On YouTube the piece was represented by a number of established orchestras, conducted by various luminaries. I tried one, and, in the opening moments, was slightly disappointed by a lack of the special ebullience I associate with this Allegro. Several attempts later, I found myself enthralled with the (conductor-less) vitality and joy of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra’s live performance.

This symphony has always seemed to me a perfect and miraculous work, with Schubert channeling Mozart (the brusque and dramatic Menuetto movement coming from the sound-world of Mozart’s 40th). It is documented that Schubert (who was 19 when he wrote this piece, a truly Mozartian feat itself) was indeed worshipful in his regard for Mozart.

This Schubert symphony, scored more lightly than any other of his symphonies, is not the discursive and questioning music of so many of his later works. Concise, compact, “classical”, it is yet imbued with color, imagination, and soul. The outer movements are radiantly heady! The inner movements form opposite poles in 3/4 time: the Andante con moto almost seems a radically slow and serious menuet (to begin with)! The actual Menuet, forceful and insistent, reverts to innocent gentleness in its trio section.

From beginning to end, a wonder, this piece, and SO enlivened in the hands of this Northern Band of Angels.

Andy R.